Royals on the brink See B1
THE IOLA REGISTER Locally owned since 1867
www.iolaregister.com
Monday, October 12, 2015
Fall elections mean changes for area cities By RICHARD LUKEN The Iola Register
Communities in Allen County remain in a “waitand-see” mode as they determine how to prepare for fall elections, starting in 2017. Since almost forever, elections in Iola and Allen County have been in the spring. That changed earlier this year, when Kansas legislators decided all elections held in odd-numbered years should occur in the fall as a means to boost voter turnout. The change also means local governments either will have to slightly extend, or cut back, some council members’ terms. The League of Kansas Municipalities has sent information to communities
Hay there!
Tracy Keagle and Aaron Franklin put finishing touches on one of two hay-bale figures that will be part of this week’s Farm-City Days in Iola. The event covers four days starting Thursday, with the piéce de résistance on Saturday downtown with many features and the annual parade. Several new events and attractions are designed to appeal all four days for festival goers of all ages.
REGISTER/BOB JOHNSON
to guide them through the process. “Ending 154 years of spring elections will be a cumbersome process for many cities,” Michael Koss, legal counsel for the League of Kansas Municipalities, wrote in the most recent edition of the Kansas Government Journal. “But the Legislature has created several mechanisms to deal with the move to November.” “There’s still a lot of gray area,” Moran City Attorney Bret Heim told the Register. “A lot of it can be fixed with some common sense. Unfortunately, there’s not a lot of common sense in Topeka sometimes.” Much of the gray area, according to Koss, is because the new law is a compromise version of multiple bills, and thus it contains See ELECTIONS | Page A2
KanCare company raises funds for Senate Republicans ByANDY MARSO Kansas Health Instittute
One of the three companies that administer KanCare co-hosted a fundraiser Wednesday for Republican members of the Senate Public Health and Welfare Committee, opening a new chapter in the state’s move to privatized Medicaid.
The three managed care organizations the state contracted with in 2012 receive nearly all their revenue in Kansas from state and federal tax dollars. One of the companies, Amerigroup, on Wednesday used some of that revenue to bolster the re-election campaigns of Republicans who control a committee charged
with overseeing its performance. It’s not unusual for medical organizations to contribute to political campaigns. But Amerigroup’s involvement in Wednesday’s event continues a trend of lobbying and politicking by the KanCare companies that has raised the eyebrows of some stakeholders and minority
party Democrats. The three companies have directly donated more than $50,000 to the campaigns of sitting legislators since KanCare began and spent more than $7,000 on food and drinks for legislators during the 2015 session. Most of that money has gone to Republicans who control the Legislature, leading
to concerns that it will affect the willingness of some members to hold the companies accountable. Among them, the companies have state contracts worth about $3 billion and serve about 425,000 Kansans. “It potentially creates a legSee LOBBYISTS | Page A4
State: New policy could cut senior services By DAVE RANNEY Kansas Health Instittute
A recent change in Kansas Department for Aging and Disability Services policy will reduce access to services that help the state’s frail elders avoid often-costly nursing home stays, according to directors of the state’s Area Agencies on Aging. “This will have an impact on case management services, which we believe are pivotal when it comes to helping our customers remain in their homes,” said Janis DeBoer, executive director of the Kansas Area Agencies on Aging Association. “Case management is the glue that keeps everything together.” Late last month, directors of the 11 Area Agencies on Aging in Kansas learned that KDADS officials were enacting a policy that, effective Oct. 1, prevents the programs from spending more than 20 percent of their Se-
nior Care Act budgets on case management. At the same time, those case managers are being required to conduct more inperson visits. “About 30 percent of our Senior Care Act budget is for case management,” said Karen Wilson, who runs Northeast Kansas Area Agency on Aging (AAA), a seven-county program based in Hiawatha. “So this will be a major reduction for us.” Five Area Agencies on Aging, DeBoer said, are spending more than 20 percent of their Senior Care Act budgets on case management. The Senior Care Act refers to government-funded in-home services for frail elders who typically have low or modest incomes and are not eligible for Medicaid. Because they are not eligible for Medicaid, many of these seniors pay for a porSee KDADS | Page A4
Below is a picture of the lobby in Iola Vision Source’s new home at 216 N. Jefferson Ave. Iola Vision Source’s staffers are, from left, Dr. Matthew Skahan, Angie Willis, Sarah Folk, Haley Kimball, Susan Sullivan, Susan Garver and Dr. Doug Donnelly. Not pictured is Ty Sigg. REGISTER/RICHARD LUKEN
Iola Vision Source gets new home By RICHARD LUKEN The Iola Register
Iola Vision Source opened its new offices last week at 216 N. Jefferson Ave., a move that should prove more convenient to patients, its owners said. Dr. Matthew Skahan, who co-owns Iola Vision Source with Dr. Doug Donnelly, said the new location is more than twice the size of their See NEW HOME | Page A2
Quote of the day Vol. 117, No. 237
“Wisdom begins at the end.” — Daniel Webster 75 Cents
Hi: 81 Lo: 47 Iola, KS